Contax (Yashica/Kyocera)
For the original rangefinder model, see Contax rangefinder * For the East German SLR, see Contax S Contax is originally the name of the famed 35mm rangefinder camera made from 1932 by Zeiss Ikon (see Contax rangefinder), which subsequently became the name of a pioneering single-lens reflex camera made from 1947 by the Eastern part of Zeiss Ikon (see Contax S). In 1973 the Contax name was licensed to the Japanese maker Yashica by Carl Zeiss to create a prestigious brand of 35mm cameras and interchangeable Yashica / Contax lenses in cooperation with the German company. By that time, Yashica was a production giant with considerable electronic camera experience, and was seeking ways to expand sales and improve brand name recognition in the highly competitive 35mm SLR market. Thus began ‘Top Secret Project 130’, a collaboration with Carl Zeiss to produce a new, professional 35mm SLR with an electronically-controlled shutter, bearing the Contax brand name. The F. Alexander Porsche Group was hired to complete an ergonomic and styling study of the new camera. The new Contax RTS and its Zeiss T* lenses appeared at Photokina in 1974, and proved an immediate hit. Until 1984, Contax cameras were made by Yashica in Japan, with lenses made by Carl Zeiss – some in Germany, some in Japan. The cameras were noteworthy for their advanced electronics. The Carl Zeiss T* lenses, in particular, soon gained a reputation for superb optical quality. Since manual-focus Contax and Yashica manual-focus 35mm SLR cameras share the same common bayonet lens mount, their lenses may be used interchangeably. Contax cameras continued to be produced by Yashica until the latter was acquired by Kyocera in 1983. At that time, Kyocera's new camera division took over responsibility for production of all Contax and Yashica branded cameras, eventually introducing cameras under its own name, as well as contracting production of other models to outside manufacturers, such as Cosina. In 2005, Kyocera halted production on all Contax-brand film and digital cameras. Digital SLR * Contax N1 Digital (N-mount) Digital (non-SLR) * Contax i4R * Contax SL 300 T* * Contax SL 400 T* * Contax TVS digital 35mm SLR M42 screwmount see Zeiss Ikon for the Contax S, D, E, F, FB, FM, FBM and the corresponding Pentacon models. Manual-Focus (Yashica/Contax) * Contax 137 MA * Contax 137 MD * Contax 139Q * Contax 159 MM * Contax 167 MT * Contax Aria * Contax AX * Contax CGCM * Contax Preview * Contax Preview II * Contax RTS * Contax RTS II * Contax RTS III * Contax RX * Contax RX II * Contax S2 / S2b * Contax ST Auto-Focus (N) * Contax N1 * Contax NX 35mm Rangefinders Manual Focus * Contax T see Zeiss Ikon for the Contax I, II, III, IIa and IIIa Auto Focus * Contax G1 * Contax G2 * Contax T2 * Contax T3 * Contax TVS * Contax TVS II * Contax TVS III APS film Contax Tix Medium Format * Contax 645 AF Links * ContaxImages.Com * Contax group on flickr * Contax SLR website by Cees de Groot * The Contax Camera discussion community! * The biggest Contax User Forum – Contaxinfo.com * The German Contax User Forum — Contaxinfo.de * Focus tips for Contax Rangefinders * Contax & Yashica PDF instuction manual at Orphancameras.com * Price Statistics for Contax Cameras at AuctionPriceTracker (English) * Price Statistics for Contax Cameras at AuctionPriceTracker (German) * Price Statistics for Contax Cameras at AuctionPriceTracker (Italian) * Category: Japanese cameras